Trethevy Quoit
Trethevy Cromlech · King Arthur's Quoit
Early Neolithic·East Cornwall Early Neolithic·🇬🇧 Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
About
About Trethevy Quoit
Tallest and most architecturally elaborate portal dolmen in Cornwall near St Cleer, East Cornwall: seven orthostats (to 2.4 m) supporting 3.7 × 2.7 m capstone 3 m above floor over trapezoidal chamber 1.8 m high with unique internal dividing stone and rear window/entrance. Surviving mound 6.5 m. Built c.3500 BCE, transitional between Penwith quoits and Welsh dolmens. Exceptional height and complexity suggest long construction phase.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Rear window function — entrance or spirit hole?
Theories
- 01Transitional style bridging Penwith and Cotswold-Severn traditions
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 3500 BCE
- Period
- Early Neolithic
- Culture
- East Cornwall Early Neolithic
- Purpose
- Portal dolmen with ante-chamber
- Abandoned
- Late Neolithic
- Rediscovered
- Recorded 1584 Norden; preserved
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 3500 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1318 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
50.4935° N · 4.4549° W · 180 m · 2 mapped features
Internal dividing stone
partitionSlab dividing chamber into ante-chamber and main compartment
50.4935° N · 4.4549° WRear window stone
window stoneOrthostat with rectangular opening at NE end
50.4936° N · 4.4548° W
Gallery